WEST RAYNHAM
This aerodrome was an expansion scheme airfield located five miles south-west of Fakerham and two miles west of West Raynham village. The camp was situated to the northwest of the landing ground with the standard Type C hangars arranged in an arc fronting the bombing circle. Permanent buildings backed up against the Coxford to Kipton Ash road, which was eventually closed to public use. Built 1938-39, No. 2 Group moved in No. 101 Squadron and its Blenheims from Bicester in May 1939. No. 101 had the station all to itself as the reserve squadron of No. 2 Group until a target-towing flight was formed in February 1940. In April No. 76 Squadron was reformed with the prospect of becoming a second operational Blenheim unit but the crisis in France brought about a hasty disbandment after only three weeks. A victim of the Blitzkrieg, No. 139 Squadron came to recuperate for eleven days and, after its departure for Horsham St Faith, No. 18 Squadron, which had similarly suffered, arrived on June l3.
No. 101's Blenheims went into action for the first time on July 4, 1940, single aircraft attempting to attack oil storage tanks in German ports. It continued to fly sorties from West Raynham for a year during, which time it lost 15 Blenheims in some 610 sorties. The attrition in Blenheim squadrons was said to be behind Bomber Command's decision to move one of No. 2 Group's squadrons to No. 3 Group and convert it to Wellingtons, No. 101 being selected for this transfer, which entailed saying goodbye to West Raynham and moving to Oakington. No. 2 Group was then able to retrieve No. 114 Squadron from Leuchars where it had been on loan to Coastal Command. The squadron moved its Blenheims into West Raynham, where they remained for over a year before being sent to North Africa following the `Torch' invasion. While based at West Raynham, No. 114, like all other No. 2 Group Blenheim squadrons, was often detached to other stations for bombing or shipping strike activities. The squadron ceased operations in August 1942 to convert to the Blenheim V, which it was to use in North Africa. No. 18 Squadron returned to West Raynham during that month to be similarly re-equipped for the North African venture.
While the Blenheim squadrons were thus engaged with new aircraft, No. 180 Squadron was formed to fly Mitchells, which were flown from the larger airfield at Great Massingham, Raynham's satellite. No. 342 Squadron French-manned to fly Bostons, was also formed at West Raynham in the spring of 1943 before moving on to Sculthorpe for operations.
Hard runways were then put down but, in contrast to most bomber airfields, there were only two and to build these it was necessary to extend the boundaries of the station, notably to the west where a country road was closed. The runways, built from May-November 1943, were 04-22 at 2,000 yards and 10-28 at 1,400 yards. During 1940-41, 36 pan-type standings had been put down although only 23 of these remained useable after the runways and perimeter track were built. Fourteen loop-type standings were added during the refurbishment programme, Allnott Ltd being involved in this construction programme. The bomb stores were off the southeast corner of the airfield. Additional accommodation raised the station's facilities to 2,456 for males and 658 for females.
No. 100 Group took over the station in December 1943 bringing in two Mosquito equipped night fighter squadrons to pursue bomber support operations in enemy air space. These were Nos. 141 and 239, which flew Serrate patrols and Ranger sorties until the end of hostilities. No. 141 then transferred to Little Snoring in July 1945 while No. 239 was disbanded at West Raynham the same month. Bomber Command operations carried out from this station during the war claimed 86 aircraft: 56 Blenheims, 29 Mosquitos and a Beaufighter.
After the war, West Raynham was first home to the Central Fighter Establishment, concerned with tactics and trials involving several small units, which flourished at the station until 1962. (In January 1950 the land which had been taken for hardstandings, across the eastern side of the public road had been relinquished and sold.) From August 1960 the station also hosted fighter squadrons, Javelins and then Hunters, the later under No. 38 Group. After the Hunters left in the summer of 1969, Canberras appeared and remained until the end of 1975 when West Raynham was finally closed for flying. Bloodhound missiles for air-to air defence were then sited on the station to defend East Anglian military installations. These were removed in 1991 and West Raynham went the way of so many surplus RAF installations being closed in July 1994.
